José Mauricio Simões Bento

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• Full Professor
• Professor (Full) at University of São Paulo

Prevailing abiotic conditions may positively or negatively impact insects at both the individual and population levels. For example while moderate rainfall and wind velocity may provide conditions that favour development, as well as movement within and between habitats, high winds and heavy rains can significantly decrease life expectancy. There is...

Plants under herbivore attack synthetize defensive organic compounds that directly or indirectly affect herbivore performance and mediate other interactions with the community. The so-called herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) consist of odors released by attacked plants that serve as important cues for parasitoids and predators to locate the...

  The objective of this work was to study the effect of different hosts and temperatures on Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hem., Psyllidae) biology. Citrus limonia (Rangpur lime), Murraya paniculata (orange jessamine) and Citrus sunki (Sunki mandarin) were used as hosts. Measurements included duration and viability of the egg and nymphal stages, sex ra...

The morphology of insect eyes often seems to be shaped by evolution to match their behaviour and lifestyle. Here the relationship between the nuptial flight behaviour of 10 Atta species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the eye size of male and female alates, including the compound eyes, ommatidia facets, and ocelli were examined. These species can be...

Plant volatiles function as important signals for herbivores, parasitoids, predators, and neighboring plants. Herbivore attack can dramatically increase plant volatile emissions in many species. However, plants do not only react to herbivore-inflicted damage, but also already start adjusting their metabolism upon egg deposition by insects. Several...

In this study, we hypothesized that Crotalaria juncea (L., Fabaceae), particularly due to its content of the pyrrolizidine alkaloid monocrotaline, would affect the development, fecundity, and longevity of Diabrotica speciosa (Germar) Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). We initially assessed the effects of C. juncea plants and their various parts (leaves, s...

Ants can present specialized or opportunistic nesting habits; the latter not being restricted to a single or a narrow set of host species in an ecological interaction. Herein we report ant colonies belonging to seven species and four genera inside ripe pods of Cassia fistula L. (Fabaceae) with signs of previous occupation by herbivores. Among the s...

The cucurbit beetle, Diabrotica speciosa larvae are subterraneous and feed on plant roots, mainly Poaceae and Solanaceae. Although they are not gregarious, these larvae are often grouped in the root, triggering holes and galleries. The rhizophagy carried out by D. speciosa larvae induces the plant defense mechanisms, which can modify the behavior a...

The corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis, transmits phytopathogens that cause significant economic losses in Zea mays. The maize bushy stunt phytoplasma (MBSP) indirectly affects insect vectors behavior through morphological and physiological changes in host plants. This study evaluated the effect of MBSP-infected and sham-infected maize plants on the...

The lady beetles Tenuisvalvae notata and Cryptolaemus montrouzieri are important predators of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Like the prey, these lady beetles produce wax filaments that cover their body during the larval stage. It has been hypothesized that lady beetle body wax chemical profiles are like their prey as i) a mechanism of camo...

BACKGROUND Silicon (Si) fertilization has been well‐documented to enhance plant resistance against insect pests by increasing the abrasiveness and toughness of leaf tissues. Additionally, Si also interacts with the jasmonic acid pathway, which modulates antiherbivore induced defenses, including the emission of herbivore‐induced plant volatiles (HIP...

There is increasing interest in the potential of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in agriculture to improve plant quality and control pests and diseases. Emerging evidence indicates that some PGPR can influence interactions between plants and their pathogens, while less work has explored whether PGPR may also influence interactions betwe...

Seed beetles spend most of their lives within the seeds of host plants belonging to the Fabaceae family. Evidence suggests the cues that mediate pre-oviposition behaviour in Zabrotes subfasciatus (Boheman) are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by the seeds and suggests differential abilities in environment sensing between sexes. Here, we te...

Several beneficial microbes have been shown to activate defensive mechanisms in plants, enhancing their resistance against herbivores. However, it remains unclear whether different beneficial microbes can synergize to improve defenses in wild plants, similar to their effects in cultivated plants against insect pests. Here, we investigated the effec...

The integration of managed pollinators into agricultural systems represents a practical strategy for boosting crop production, optimising sustainable farming practices, and improving rural livelihoods. However, the use of managed bees to supplement the contribution of wild pollinators still faces challenges, such as over-reliance on pesticides in i...

Raoiella indica Hirst has rapidly and widely spread throughout the New World since 2004, primarily infesting coconut palms and interacting with the predator Amblyseius largoensis (Muma). Although A. largoensis feeds on R. indica at all stages of development, it cannot naturally reduce its population to levels that do not impact the host plant. Raoi...

Zingiberene is an allelochemical found in wild Solanum species and plants resulting from crosses between these and S. lycopersicum. This sesquiterpene is known to reduce the performance of pest herbivores. Diabrotica speciosa has been identified as a potential tomato pest in important producing regions in Brazil, causing damage to leaves and fruits...

The use of endophytic entomopathogenic fungi (EEF) represents a promising strategy to boost plant resistance in crops against both biotic and environmental stresses. However, the mechanisms by which this inoculation influences constitutive and herbivore-induced defenses to protect plants against pest insects remain unclear. To address this gap, we...

Here, single-trap, multiple-release-recapture field experiments were used for the first time to estimate the trap sampling area and absolute population density from trap catches for the coffee berry borer (CBB) Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari). Fluorescent-dusted CBBs were released at several distances at all four cardinal points from an ethanol-metha...

During field screening trials in Brazil, adults of both sexes of the cerambycid beetle Achryson surinamum (L.) (Cerambycinae: Achrysonini) were significantly attracted to racemic anti-2,3-octanediol, previously identified as a sex and aggregation-sex pheromone of various cerambycid species across different continents. Analyses of beetle-produced vo...

3-Hydroxyhexan-2-one (3-C6-ketol) has emerged as the most conserved pheromone structure within the beetle family Cerambycidae. In this study, we report the sex-specific production of this compound by males of 12 species of South American cerambycid beetles. Males of Chrysoprasis chalybea Redtenbacher and Mallosoma zonatum (Sahlberg) (Tribe Dichophy...

Lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are important biocontrol agents that are considered generalist predators, although some tribes, such as Scymnini, are specialized in predation of sucking pests, such as mealybugs, aphids, and whiteflies. However, prey preference or pre‐imaginal conditioning may occur as coccinellids are subjected to large‐sc...

The Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri, is a vector of the pathological bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), which causes the most devastating disease to the citrus industry worldwide, known as greening or huanglongbing (HLB). Earlier field tests with an acetic acid-based lure in greening-free, ‘Valencia’ citrus orange grov...

The relationship between plants and pollinators is known to be influenced by ecological interactions with other community members. While most research has focused on aboveground communities affecting plant–pollinator interactions, it is increasingly recognized that soil‐dwelling organisms can directly or indirectly impact these interactions. Althou...

The Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri , is a vector of the pathological bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), which causes the most devastating disease to the citrus industry worldwide, known as greening or huanglongbing (HLB). Earlier field tests with an acetic acid-based lure in greening-free, Valencia citrus orange grove...

Co-infestations by herbivores, a common situation found in natural settings, can distinctly affect induced plant defenses compared to single infestations. Related tritrophic interactions might be affected through the emission of changed blends of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs). In a previous study, we observed that the infestation by red...

Abiotic factors strongly influence ecological interactions and the spatial distribution of organisms. Despite the essential role of barometric pressure, its influence on insect behaviour remains poorly understood, particularly in predators. The effect of barometric pressure variation can significantly impact biological control programs involving en...

According to the theory of optimal foraging and preference–performance hypothesis, herbivores usually select plant hosts that benefit themselves or their offspring. We investigated the hypothesis that gravid females of the cucurbit beetle Diabrotica speciosa use volatiles derived from non-infested maize plants and herbivore-infested plants under at...

Main conclusion Cultivated tomato presented lower constitutive volatiles, reduced morphological and chemical defenses, and increased leaf nutritional quality that affect its resistance against the specialist herbivore Tuta absoluta compared to its wild relatives. Abstract Plant domestication process has selected desirable agronomic attributes that...

Cyclocephaline beetles are flower visitors attracted primarily by major floral volatiles. Addressing the identity of these volatile compounds is pivotal for understanding the evolution of plant-beetle interactions. We report the identification and field testing of the attractant volatiles from trumpet flowers, Brugmansia suaveolens (Willd.) Sweet (...

O Brasil tem avançado fortemente na utilização do controle biológico como estratégia dentro da sua agricultura. O uso deste modelo de controle a parasitoides e predadores cresce aqui em um ritmo muito maior do que o do restante do mundo, cujo aumento tem figurado entre 10-15% ao ano. Considerando esse novo desafio, que é desenvolver um modelo de co...

Whether nutrient availability interacts with induced resistance to alter plant chemistry and, consequently, the preference and performance of herbivores on plants remains unclear. We hypothesized that changing fertilizer inputs modulates responses induced by exogenous application of the defensive phytohormone methyl jasmonate (MeJA) against Tuta ab...

The garden fleahopper, Microtechnites bractatus (Say) (Hemiptera: Miridae), is associated with several cultivated plant species and, despite its economic importance, little is known about its development and performance in such hosts. We described here, the morphology of immature stages, and evaluated the biology of M. bractatus in beans, potatoes,...

Featured Application An automated barometric pressure chamber for entomology research was designed; the system can change the barometric pressure by ±15 hPa from the local value; the barometric pressure is maintained with a stability of ±0.1 hPa; the system allows the pressure to be changed slowly and according to linear ramps; applications are rel...

The bamboo powderpost beetle, Dinoderus minutus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), is the major post‐harvest pest of several bamboo species worldwide. Conspecific adults colonize injured bamboo stems, primarily those with low moisture content. Here, the volatiles from dry cut stems of Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. ex J.C. Wendl (Poaceae) were ident...

A novel trisubstituted tetrahydropyran was isolated and identified from the sex-specific volatiles produced by males of the cerambycid beetle Macropophora accentifer (Olivier), a serious pest of citrus and other fruit crops in South America. The compound was the major component in the headspace volatiles, and it was synthesized in racemic form. How...

Citrus insect pests has grown worldwide, concerning entomologists and farmers especially because of the high demand for food that makes it to our tables. The use of pesticides brought several issues, such as the negative impacts on the human health, pollution, and insect resistance. In this context, more environmentally-friendly strategies have bee...

BACKGROUND Plant defenses activated by European zoophytophagous predators trigger behavioral responses in arthropods, benefiting pest management. However, repellence or attraction of pests and beneficial insects seems to be species‐specific. In the neotropical region, the mirid predator Macrolophus basicornis has proved to be a promising biological...

Some pathogens can manipulate their host plants and insects to optimize their fitness, increasing the attraction of insects to the infected plant in ways that facilitate pathogen acquisition. In tropical American sugarcane crops, the fungus Colletotrichum falcatum, the red rot causal agent, usually occurs in association with the sugarcane borer Dia...

The use of nectar-producing companion plants in crops is a well-known strategy of conserving natural enemies in biological control. However, the role of floral volatiles in attracting parasitoids and effects on host location via herbivore-induced plant volatiles is poorly known. Here, we examined the role of floral volatiles from marigold (Tagetes...

Crotalaria (Fabaceae) occurs abundantly in tropical and subtropical regions and has about 600 known species. These plants are widely used in agriculture, mainly as cover plants and green manures, in addition to their use in the management of phytonematodes. A striking feature of these species is the production of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), seco...

Crotalaria (Fabaceae) occurs abundantly in tropical and subtropical regions and has about 600 known species. These plants are widely used in agriculture, mainly as cover plants and green manures, in addition to their use in the management of phytonematodes. A striking feature of these species is the production of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), seco...

Pathogenic fungi have been used worldwide to control crop pests and are assumed to pose negligible threats to the survival of pollinators. Although eusocial stingless bees provide essential pollination services and might be exposed to these biopesticides in tropical agroecosystems, there is a substantial knowledge gap regarding the side effects of...

The use of nectar-producing companion plants in crops is a well-known strategy of conserving natural enemies in biological control. However, the role of floral volatiles in attracting parasitoids and effects on host location via herbivore-induced plant volatiles is poorly known. Here, we examined the role of floral volatiles from marigold (Tagetes...

Here, we study the pheromone chemistry of two South American cerambycid beetle species, and their behavioral responses to candidate pheromone components. Adult males of Stizocera phtisica Gounelle (subfamily Cerambycinae: tribe Elaphidiini) produced a sex-specific blend of (R)-3-hydroxyhexan-2-one with lesser amounts of 3-methylthiopropan-1-ol. In...

The beneficial features of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are not limited to its role as an insecticide; it is also able to promote plant growth interacting with plants and other plant growth‐promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR). The PGPR Bt strain RZ2MS9 is a multi‐trait maize growth promoter. We obtained a stable mutant of RZ2MS9 labelled with green fluo...

Vector-borne plant pathogens often change host traits to manipulate vector behavior in a way that favors their spread. By contrast, infection by opportunistic fungi does not depend on vectors, although damage caused by an herbivore may facilitate infection. Manipulation of hosts and vectors, such as insect herbivores, has not been demonstrated in i...

BACKGROUND Plants in nature can be sequentially attacked by different arthropod herbivores. Feeding by one arthropod species may induce plant‐defense responses that might affect the performance of a later‐arriving herbivorous species. Understanding these interactions can help in developing pest‐management strategies. In tomato, the sweet‐potato whi...

An increasing body of evidence indicates that cerambycid beetles native to different continents may share pheromone components, suggesting that these compounds arose as pheromone components early in the evolution of the family. Here, we describe the identification and field testing of the pheromone blends of two species in the subfamily Cerambycina...

The plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (strain GB03) augments Arabidopsis glucosinolate defenses targeting the generalist herbivore Spodoptera exigua. With the goal to transfer such technology to an agricultural crop, bacterial-defense induction was monitored in the closely related species, Eruca sativa (arugula...

The transition from a perennial to an annual life cycle, as well as domestication, are expected to increase plant growth and reproduction at the same time that anti-herbivore defences are reduced. Here, we investigated the effects of the life-history transition (the perennial teosinte Zea diploperennis to the annual teosinte Z. mays ssp. mexicana)...

Many deceptive orchids present variation in floral color and fragrance. This might be advantageous for the plant, as it can disturb the associative avoidance learning of pollinators, promoting more visits to the flowers. Some studies have shown that color and fragrance can be correlated in polymorphic deceptive orchids, but these studies employed c...

A semiochemical-based attractant for Euplatypus parallelus was identified and field-tested. Analyses of headspace volatile extracts of conspecific males revealed the presence of 1-hexanol along with lesser amounts of 3-methyl-1-butanol, hexyl acetate, 1-octanol and trans-geraniol, which were not found in equivalent extracts from females. Emission o...

Bacillus spp. are among the most efficient known plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). The PGPR Bacillus sp. strain RZ2MS9 is a multi-trait maize growth promoter previously isolated from guarana plants cultivated in the Amazon rainforest. However, there are several aspects of its interaction with the host that need further investigation. To...

Cyclocephalini beetles of the genus Cyclocephala (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae: Dynastinae) use flowers of some plants as food, shelter, and mating sites. However, little is known about floral scent chemistry involved in this interaction. Here we show that a sesquiterpene alcohol mediates attraction of Cyclocephala paraguayensis Arrow, on bottle gourd...

Besouros do gênero Migdolus (Coleoptera: Vesperidae) são polífagos e nativos da região centro-sul da América do Sul. Os danos são provocados pelas larvas, que durante sua alimentação, destroem o sistema radicular de diversas famílias de plantas. Os adultos não se alimentam, são escavadores e sobem à superfície do solo para acasalar, entre outubro a...

The expansion of sugarcane plantations in Brazil and the discarding of vinasse into the sugarcane field have been speculated to contribute to the growing population of the billbug Sphenophorus levis. This beetle attacks the root system and forms galleries in rhizomes, causing damage or even the death of host plants. It has been suspected that vinas...

Cyclocephalini beetles of genus Cyclocephala (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae: Dynastinae) use flowers of some plants as food, shelter, and mating stands. However, little is known about floral scent chemistry involved in this interaction. Here we show that a sesquiterpene alcohol mediates attraction of Cyclocephala paraguayensis Arrow on bottle gourd flo...

Plant-associated microbes may induce plant defenses against herbivores. Plants, in turn, can attract natural enemies, such as predators, using herbivore-induced plant volatiles. Intricate communication occurs between microorganisms, plants, and insects. Given that many aspects related to mechanisms involved in this symbiotic system remain unknown,...

Silicon (Si) supplementation is well-known for enhancing plant resistance to insect pests, however, only recently studies revealed that Si accumulation in the plant not only confers a mechanical barrier to insect feeding, but also primes jasmonic acid-dependent defenses. Here, we examined whether Si supplementation alters wheat volatile emissions t...

We describe the identification, synthesis, and field-testing of aggregation-sex pheromones, or likely pheromone candidates, of seven species of South American cerambycid beetles in the subfamily Cerambycinae, of the tribes Eburiini and Neoibidionini. Analyses of extracts of volatiles released by adult males revealed that Eburodacrys dubitata White...

Multiple herbivory by arthropods with distinct feeding modes often reduces the attractiveness of herbivore-induced plant volatiles to the third trophic level, while herbivory by two species with the same feeding mode yields variable effects. So far, only few studies have examined multiple herbivory with two cell-content feeders. Here, we addressed...

The need for basic information on tropical crop pollinators remains a key priority. Here, we used a dataset on Brazilian bee-crop interactions to determine important bee species for crop pollination and discuss their management in Brazilian croplands. We developed an analytical approach to select key bee species and genera from datasets based on di...

The development of insects is strongly influenced by their resident microorganisms. Symbionts play key roles in insect nutrition, reproduction, and defense. Bacteria are important partners due to the wide diversity of their biochemical pathways that aid in the host development. We present evidence that the foam produced by nymphs of the spittlebug...

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is a vector of a pathogen associated with greening and thus a major problem in citriculture worldwide. Lures are much needed for improving ACP trapping systems for monitoring populations and surveillance. Previously, we have identified acetic acid as a putative sex pheromone and measured formic acid-and propionic acid...

Até o final da década de 1980 o bicho-furão ( Gymnandrosoma aurantianum) era considerado uma praga esporádica, sem grande importância para a citricultura. Entretanto, com o aparecimento da doença CVC (clorose variegada dos citros), ou amarelinho, causada pela bactéria Xylella fastidiosa , transmitida por cigarrinhas, passou-se a fazer um intenso co...

Partamona helleri stingless bees construct a unique, funnel-shaped entrance that resolves an evolutionary conflict between foraging efficiency and defence. The large outer entrance allows many foragers to pass while the narrow inner entrance requires few guards to defend. This structure has given rise to a remarkable behaviour in returning foragers...

Fungal phytopathogens are known to induce changes in plant metabolite profile and defense levels that consequently affect insect herbivores. Although it is expected that fungal plant infection may also affect herbivore natural enemies that are guided by plant chemical cues, few studies have addressed this interaction. Here, we examined the effect o...

Cassava (Manihot esculenta), a major staple food in the developing world provides a starch-based carbohydrate diet for over half-a-billion people living in the tropics. Despite the plant’s resistance to most local insect pests and bacterial pathogens, cassava is susceptible to root rot caused by Fusarium solani. With the recent identification that...

Insect-borne plant viruses usually alter the interactions between host plant and insect vector in ways conducive to their transmission ('host manipulation hypothesis'). Most studies have tested this hypothesis with persistently and non-persistently transmitted viruses, while few have examined semi-persistently transmitted viruses. The crinivirus To...

The ambrosia beetle Amasa truncata (Erichson, 1842) (Fig. 1) is native to Australia (Milligan 1969) and was first detected in Brazil in 2011 in the state of Sao Paulo (22°49ʹ19.0ʹʹ S, 48°53ʹ35.5ʹʹ W). The subsequent evolution of its spread through Brazil has not been reported. Here, we report two new localities for A. truncata in southeastern Brazi...

We describe the identification, synthesis, and field bioassays of a novel aggregation-sex pheromone produced by males of Susuacanga octoguttata (Germar), a South American cerambycid beetle. Analyses of extracts of headspace volatiles produced by adult beetles revealed a sex-specific compound emitted by males which was identified as (Z)-7-hexadecene...

The big avocado seed weevil, Heilipus lauri Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is one of the most significant pests of avocado in Colombia and other countries, such as Mexico. The volatile compounds produced by males and females were collected by headspace (HS)-solid phase microextraction (SPME) and dynamic headspace collection (DHS) on a sorbent...